Found a nice coin but it has glue on it..seeking advice

[namster]

Hello all,

I found this 1936D in a roll yesterday, and it appears it was glued to paper at one point in time. I would like to clean the glue/grime off without damaging the coin, is this possible? I have read that a soak in acetone will remove the glue but I am not sure this is a good idea. I would rather not destroy any numismatic value this coin has. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

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[lastleg]

With only 30,092 minted this is a definite keeper ($100 in AU). Acetone could harm it. If you send me a PM I will tell you what I would try.

 

[l.cutler]

Acetone is one of the safest ways to remove oils and crud from a coin and is commonly used by experienced coin collectors. It may work on the glue depending on exactly what it is. I would think the biggest danger would be having the coin come out blotchy looking, there may not be any toning under the glue and once it is removed the coin may look shiny where the glue was and toned otherwise. If you do use acetone, you want to just dip it in swish it around and rinse well with distilled water. Do not rub it in any way, and lightly pat it dry on a clean cloth.

 

[namster]

Acetone is one of the safest ways to remove oils and crud from a coin and is commonly used by experienced coin collectors. It may work on the glue depending on exactly what it is. I would think the biggest danger would be having the coin come out blotchy looking, there may not be any toning under the glue and once it is removed the coin may look shiny where the glue was and toned otherwise. If you do use acetone, you want to just dip it in swish it around and rinse well with distilled water. Do not rub it in any way, and lightly pat it dry on a clean cloth.

How long should the coin be immersed in the acetone? I assume any acetone from the hardware store is OK to use?

 

[l.cutler]

I would just swish it around for a few seconds and see if it is taking off the glue. Several quick dips would be better than leaving it in longer. It might be a good idea to change the acetone and dip it in fresh so there is no residue. Just make sure it is pure acetone and not fingernail polish remover with additives. Be VERY careful with acetone, it is highly flammable and should be used in a well ventilated area. The vapors can be quite intense.

 

[DirtyHowi]

if its old school white glue (some kid glued it to something for a project) then just plain water should take it off if you let it sit.

 

[namster]

Here are the results of my acetone immersion. Dipped it into the acetone and dabbed it lightly with a cue tip. The paper and some glue came off immediately. I am afraid to do much more than what I did, I also rolled (not rubbed) the cue tip across the surface of the coin, which seemed to pick up a little more. Under magnification I can see that some glue remains but I do not want to go further and damage the coin, that said, it is circulated so some fine scratches are apparent on the high points. The one nice thing is the obverse was the side that was glued down so the detailing is very much intact with very little apparent wear. I think ill leave it as is for a while.

 

[silversnacher]

You could try salt vinegar but idk if it would damage it or not :/